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Nudging Gently - Encouragement Café - February 21, 2017

“Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:4 (NIV)

I remember when I first read this verse. It made me pause – I laugh loud, sometimes I talk loud, I turn up the volume on my favorite songs – could a quiet spirit describe me?

Then I remembered – you and me – we’re made in the image of our Creator. He knows our every thought and He put in us a soft chuckle or a loud whoop. That’s outward us. You know, the part we spend so much time stressing over. Hair, complexion, weight, clothes, shoes.

God sees way beyond our latest style and bad hair day. He sees the real us – and wants everyone to see the beauty of a spirit that is gentle and quiet.

I have a friend or two to whom I’m drawn to for that very reason. I offhandedly say a less than kind remark and without any intent to correct me, they point to a ‘why’. Reminding me that as we walk out our imperfection - and maybe earn an unkind judgement - sometimes the weight of this world is the reason. A gentle reminder: don’t be quick to sum her up, be slow and give grace.

So then I wonder: where does this grace come from? “This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,” 2 Timothy 1:9b (NIV). OURS, from before we were formed, because it comes from the Ancient of Days, the One who named the stars and knows us. With the help of His Holy Spirit, we can choose to model gentle and quiet.

The Spirit doesn’t shout, he prompts. He doesn’t push, He nudges.

The Fruit of the Spirit includes gentleness. We don’t have to work for it, we have the Spirit and so we have gentleness. But we do have to allow the Spirit to manifest it. And as we rely on that kind of beauty, He will show who we really are: child of God, unfading beautiful, of great worth.

Join me in being radiant? May grace find its way into our spirit as we grow in our knowledge of God.

Father, we live in a loud world. We listen to what this world says we should look like. We often don’t hear Your Holy Spirit. Help us to give more grace, to slow down and keep step with the Spirit, and to show the world Your beauty lived out in our lives. Only through Your strength can this happen, so we pray for a moment by moment hand holding as we go forth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

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